Waves
by Raphael Fitchburne
Summary: Ino runs away from home to fight for her love. She loves Sasuke, but her mother wouldn't approve of it. She finds herself seeking help from Naruto, who, unexpectedly, sways her heart. Now, she wishes that she had two hearts. NarutoxIno
1. Chapter 1

WAVES

CHAPTER 1

Naruto let out a long yawn as he sat up in his bed.

A quiet day. The rays of the sun forced themselves into the cracks of his window.

He pushed the blanket aside and got off the bed. He went to the window and opened it. There the morning greeted him. He smiled.

Now, he was in the kitchen. He looked inside his fridge for his milk. He got it and also a bowl of leftover ramen resting on the rack. With hands full, he pushed the fridge's door with his butt and went to his table. He put the ramen inside his microwave, set the timer, sat at the table, and drank his cold milk.

Suddenly, loud knocks came from the door. Bam! Bam! Bam! He almost choked in surprise.

"What the hell…? Don't destroy my door!"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Naruto slammed the milk box on the tabletop and went to the door.

"What do you…?" A pretty, blonde girl was looking back at him with pleading eyes. "Ino?"

She looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry for barging in so early in the morning, but could you help me?"

"Help you with what?"

"Can I come inside?"

"Mmmm…" Naruto stared at the pretty kunoichi in front of him, and then at her luggage. "You look suspicious. Did you steal something?"

"What? You're thinking that I'm a thief? How insulting!"

"It's better that we talk here."

"How rude of you to treat a cute girl like this!"

"I'm not after looks, sorry. Besides, we're not close. I don't want to be in trouble. If I let you inside, someone will see. Did you know that I'm under surveillance right now?"

"Naruto, I really need your help. Please."

"No. There are a lot of people that will gladly help you without them getting in trouble. Count me out. If you want, I'll take you to Sakura."

"No, no! Not to Sakura!"

"Huh? Isn't she your best friend?"

"I-I don't want to bother her."

"So you want to bother me, instead?"

"No. It's not like that. I'm…hey, why are you like that to me? I'm still an acquaintance and a former classmate. What's so wrong about giving a hand to a former classmate?"

"Simple. Your problem is your problem. Nosing in always gets me in trouble. If you don't have anything more to say, excuse me," Naruto started to close the door.

"Wait, wait! Stop!" She held onto the edge of the door.

"Go home, Ino!"

"At least let me explain!" She filled her lungs with air and exhaled. "I'm sorry. I know that I hurt you a while back, but it was just a joke! We just wanted to have some fun. Please forgive me."

"What joke? I don't remember anything like that. Ino, I'm under surveillance. If I let my guard down, my forehead protector might be revoked, do you understand? Ino, I badly injured a Jonin. It's just fortunate for me that his girlfriend begged that I not be imprisoned. Do you understand my situation? You appear to be in some kind of trouble. I can't be involved. I'm sorry."

"Naruto, I ran away from home."

Naruto stared at her.

She looked embarrassed. "I ran away."

Naruto put his palm on his forehead and sighed. "Okay, come inside."

Ino brightened up. "Thank you."

Naruto sighed.

Ino gathered her large bag and entered in.

Ino was blushing while she stood beside the door. She was really embarrassed. All the courage she had mustered a while ago had been drained upon entering Naruto's apartment. She couldn't even look at him.

"What are you standing there for? Take a seat. I'll make coffee."

Head bowed, Ino slowly went to sit on the couch. She put her large bag beside her feet.

Placing the coffee on the center table, Naruto sat across Ino. "Okay. I want a full explanation on this. If you convince me that you're reasons are sound, I'll reconsider."

Ino took a swift glance at Naruto and saw how serious his face was. She gulped. "My mom wants me to meet with a guy in a marriage interview. I know that you're thinking that I can easily brush the guy off, but my mom seemed to be set about me getting married to that guy. I told her that I didn't want to get married, yet, but she insisted that I should meet with the guy. Naruto, you know who I like. I'm afraid of the possibility that if I meet with the guy even once, mom will arrange for the marriage. Mom is a very persistent person and she is used to getting what she wants. I know that this is very selfish of me, resorting to this kind of solution, but this is the only effective way I know to escape it. I still love Sasuke and I want to get married to him. He's my dream."

"Why don't you tell her that?"

"She won't accept it. She already knows that I like Sasuke, and I think that the marriage interview is her way to keep me away from him. You know what reputation Sasuke has. Even after you successfully brought him back, that didn't change the fact that he was once a wanted criminal. Mom won't let me get married to him."

Naruto thought for a while. Then he said, "Then why me of all people? How about Choji or Shikamaru? Why don't you go to them and ask for help?"

"My mom is a proud person being the only daughter of a wealthy merchant, you know that. She once destroyed your reputation to her friends and family. She won't take her words back and ask about me from you. Also, I'm sure she's convinced that I won't ask you for any help."

"How troublesome."

"I'm sorry."

"Why is it that girls always bring me trouble?"

"I'm sorry."

Naruto sighed. "Can't be helped." He smiled. "I can't leave you alone, can I?"

Ino's face brightened up. "Really?"

"I still don't approve of your running away, but I think your mother is wrong here."

"I need a place to stay, Naruto."

"Ah, that's easy. I know some friends that could give you a place—"

"I want to stay here."

A beat. "Say that again?"

"Please let me stay here."

"What—"

Ino reached for his hand. "Naruto, please."

Naruto stared at her, and then he looked at the rim of his coffee cup, thinking hard. Minutes passed by without anyone making a sound.

"Do you understand what you're asking from me?" Naruto said.

"Yes."

"That I'm a man and you're a woman?"

"Yes."

"That I might do something perverted to you?"

This caught her off-guard. "Y-yes." She blushed and looked away.

"You are already prepared for that?"

"Yes."

"What if I did it? I mean I _really_ did it, what would you do?"

"It's better if I do it with someone I know."

"Are you serious?"

Ino gulped. "Yes, if that will make you—"

Naruto sighed. "I envy Sasuke for that. Okay. I let you stay."

"Really? Really?"

"Yes. But I have one condition. Never ever ask me about anything I do, okay. My business is my business, yours is yours." He stood up, collecting the now cold coffee from the table.

Something alarmed Ino. "Naruto, please don't tell—"

"I'll never betray you. That's a promise."

"Naruto, I don't have anything to pay you with. So, if—"

"Stop. I don't have any interest in that kind of thing." He walked and then stopped. "Ah, Ino, I'm sorry for being harsh, earlier. I didn't mean it."

"I know. It's okay," she said. _You're really kind. You never change. _She smiled to herself.

Naruto completely forgot about his ramen.

…

"I'll go out for a while. You can put your things inside my room. Don't worry. It's not a mess like some other guys'. Only the bed is not fixed."

"I-it's okay. I can put up with—"

"I don't have a lot of clothes so my closet has space to spare. It's too large for me. You can put your clothes and other things in there."

"N-Naruto—"

"When I come back, let's talk about our sleeping arrangement. I'll get something to eat."

"Wait, Naruto! You don't have to treat me like a guest."

"Then how should I treat you?"

"Umm…"

"Okay. That settles it. We'll talk when I'm back." Naruto went out, closing the door behind him.

Ino stared at the door, deciding on what to do.

…

_What should I do? _Ino paced the floor back and forth. Then she stopped and looked at her large bag. _Am I not making a big mistake? Should I ask another friend? No! My mom will find me easily if I'm with a friend. No matter where you look at it, this is the best decision. Okay! Time to move!_

She lifted her bag and gulped. She found a door to her right. For a moment she just stood staring at it.

_Okay…_She put her hand on the knob, gulped, and turned it clockwise. She heard the latch unlock.

"Sorry for intruding," she said, looking around. It was as Naruto had told her. The room was tidy. Only the bed wasn't fixed. The window was open and breeze came in, keeping the room smelling fresh. She looked around for a couple of minutes more until she caught sight of a picture frame. She went to take a look at it.

There were four people on it: Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi.

_So, this is their group picture._ She took a look at every face on it, spending longer on Sasuke's face._ Sasuke, my love! _She hugged the frame, trembling in excitement. _Sasuke, I promise to be your bride! No one will take you away from me! _ She made a serious face. _Even mom!_

She put the frame down and searched for the closet. _There it is!_ She grabbed her bag and went to it.

It was as Naruto said. The closet was roomy and she found only six kinds of clothing in it. _Dummy, this is why no one will pay attention to you; you don't care about your appearance. And here I thought you looked better when you got back from your three-year training. I guess it can't be helped. You're a strength-type of guy, anyway._

She started to put her clothes inside the closet.

…

Naruto went to the back of the apartment where no one would see him. He raised his eyes towards the leaves of the tree in front of him.

"Shinji-san, can we talk for a moment?" Naruto called out. There was no reply. "Shinji-san, I know you're there. Please talk to me."

For a minute, nobody replied. Then, an ANBU appeared in front of him.

"What is it?" Shinji said.

"About this morning, would you please exclude what happened?"

"You mean about Yamanaka-san?"

"Yes."

"I can't do that. I have my instructions. I need to report everything to Master Tsunade."

"Look. Ino has nothing to do with my situation. Can you at least spare her?"

"I don't see anything wrong with including her in my report."

"Shinji, Ino ran away from home and she doesn't want anyone to know where she is right now. If Master Tsunade knew, she would immediately tell her parents. As much as possible, I want to help her come up with a good solution to her problem."

Shinji reconsidered, keeping silent for a while. Then, he said, "I can't understand you. This girl is the same girl who would always berate you and embarrass you in front of many people, yet, here you are helping her with her problem. Isn't it becoming too kind?"

"It's in the past. I'm also to be blamed why those things happened to me. I was always forcing my way to their hearts. I never thought about what they felt about me."

Shinji sighed. "Okay. I understand. For now, I will be reporting as usual. But if something were to happen, understand that I couldn't overlook it. I'll pretend I didn't see anything."

"Thank you very much."

Shinji turned to go. "Take care." He disappeared from his sight.

…

"Okay, I'm finished!" She stretched her arms after closing the closet doors. Then, she sat on the bed, looking at the ceiling. "I never thought that Naruto would have a room this cozy. It's so warm that I almost want to sleep." She lay on the bed. _I guess I can take a nap. I didn't sleep well last night, after all. Maybe Naruto will not be coming back for a while._ With that, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

…

"I'm home," Naruto said. He was carrying three big bags of goods in his right hand. He instantly noticed the quiet atmosphere. _Ino is not here. Did she reconsider and leave? _He looked at the table. _She hasn't left any note._

He put away his purchase and just remembered his ramen when he found that the microwave was still plugged. "Damn, I forgot about you." He got his ramen out. It was already cold. Not wanting to waste any food, he forced himself to eat it. He put the bowl in the sink.

He began working with the vegetables he bought. He was planning to make beef stew for lunch. After laying out all the ingredients on the counter, he went to get his apron. He didn't find it in the usual place where he kept it.

_Oh, yeah, I washed it yesterday. _He had hung it on a peg beside the window in his room. _It should be dry now._

When he opened his room's door, he was surprised at what he saw. Ino was soundly sleeping on his bed.He quietly went on tiptoe, being careful not to make noise. However, as he was busy gathering his apron, Ino woke up.

When she saw him, she suddenly went, "Kyaaaa!"

Naruto almost fell over. "Wha—"

"N-N-Naruto!" She gathered the blanket around her.

"Hey, don't surprise me like that!"

"W-what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry I entered without knocking. I thought you already left. I just came to get my apron. I'm sorry."

"N-no! You don't have to apologize. I should be the one apologizing for using your bed without permission."

"No. It's okay. You can use it as long as you like. You can go back to sleep. I'll wake you up when it's time to eat." He took the apron, went out, and closed the door behind him.

…

Ino went out of the room after gathering herself. She saw Naruto in the kitchen busy with his cooking. Naruto caught sight of her and smiled.

"Hi!" Naruto greeted as he chopped some onion strings.

"I can't sleep anymore," she said.

"Well, that's expected. I wouldn't be able to sleep again, too, if I suddenly woke up. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

"I said it was okay. You didn't do anything wrong. It was your room, after all."

"Yeah. Anyway, take a seat. I'm almost finished."

She sat down on the couch. "You don't have work?"

"Nah. Master Tsunade suspended me from taking missions for a month. I'm free."

"What did really happen then, Naruto? I just heard it from the staff at the hospital. They said that the man lost all of his front teeth."

"Ah, that. When I saw him, he was forcing a girl to come with him. I couldn't hold myself from just watching. I send him flying with my right hand. It was too late when the girl finally told me that he was her boyfriend."

Ino giggled. "It's just like you."

"Well, I was in a bad mood that day. He was just unlucky."

"So you're bragging that you did it, huh?"

"No. I just thought that it was the right thing to do that time."

Ino looked at him.

Naruto caught her gaze and beamed at her. Ino suddenly felt her face getting hot and immediately pull her eyes away.

"It's done!" Naruto announced. "Go wash your hands, Ino."

…

"I'm stuffed! It's really better to eat with someone. It's been long since I ate so much," Naruto said.

"I didn't know that you cook and with such high quality," Ino said. "It's a surprise."

"Thank you. Since I live alone, it can't be helped. By the way, I learned this recipe from Sakura's mom."

She didn't know why she suddenly felt disappointed. "Oh, is that so?"

"Yeah. She's a good cook. It won't be a surprise if Sakura becomes good at cooking as well."

"Speaking of cooking, I also know some unique recipes."

"Really? I thought you didn't think of this stuff seriously. I mean, when we were young, you and Sakura only thought of becoming prettier. At least, that was what I observed."

"No. It was true. It's nostalgic thinking about it. We used to fight over Sasuke a lot that it became our routine."

"Yeah, I still remember that. I used to have a crush on Sakura, too, and I got angry whenever girls fight over Sasuke. Your fight irritated me the most."

She laughed. "Don't say it, bluntly! You're embarrassing me!"

"Right. But, I'm thinking, why did you have to work hard too much when you both were already pretty in the first place? As a boy, I found it weird."

"Do I look attractive to you, Naruto?"

"Yes. I think you're attractive."

"What makes me look attractive to you?"

"I think it's because, if some kind of situation came, I would not get tired looking at you."

Ino blushed from her neck up. She couldn't answer for a while.

"Ino?"

"Huh, y-yes, hahaha."

"What's the matter?"

She hastily stood up. "I think I need to take a cold shower. It's getting hot in here."

"Yeah. Your face is all red."

"S-so you noticed. About the recipe, I will cook it for you this evening."

"Really? All right!"

She giggled.

"Ah, right, I just remembered. I'm to meet with Sakura this afternoon. I guess I should be going already."

"With Sakura? Are you two going out?"

"No. She's just consulting me for some offensive ninja techniques. She's not that good at it."

"I see."

"So, see you later?"

"Yeah. And Naruto…"

"Yes."

"You know, sometimes it's better if you're not that frank about what you think of others."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, about what you said earlier, ah, it made me feel uneasy."

"But you asked me about my opinion. I don't think there's something wrong about what I said."

"N-no, what I mean is..."

"Let's talk later. I'm already late. Bye!"

"Na—"

Naruto closed the door behind him.

_Dummy, it's not what I mean._

…

"Are you happy now?" Ino's father said. "I told you that Ino was an independent girl. She—"

"You are spoiling her too much!" Mrs. Yamanaka yelled.

"I just have faith in her. I know that she can now stand on her own feet. Don't you understand? She's already seventeen and a Jonin."

"I understand that. But, she's still my daughter and she's too young to be trusted with adult matters."

"You're still worried about that. I see."

"I won't allow it. Sasuke is a criminal."

"Sasuke _was_ a criminal. He's been manipulated by Madara while he was still confused and angry about his brother's death. Do you understand? He was the victim."

"Now, you're siding with that demon? No! No matter what you say, he's a dangerous person. Ino will not have a good future with him. I don't understand why Naruto-san bothered to bring him back. He's better off dead."

"Stubborn lady. I wouldn't be surprised if Ino decided against coming back home. No daughter would want to be with a narrow-minded mother like you. Goodbye."

"Hey, you come back here!"

"I'll see you later."

…

"Ah, I'm beat! Offensive ninjutsu is really difficult to master," Sakura said, slumping on the ground. "I don't think I can progress like this."

"You're making progress, Sakura. You're even doing it faster than I did before. A little more practice and you'll be able to do it without any problem." He sat down beside her and drank from his water pouch. "Want some?"

"No, thank you. Umm, Naruto, I think we haven't been spending enough time together these past months."

"Yeah. But we get to train every afternoon."

"No, it's not like that. I mean doing fun stuff like eating out or going to the festival. We haven't done something like that for a while now."

"It can't be helped. We were both busy with our jobs."

"But you're suspended from taking any missions, right? How about it? I'll take a day-off after the seminar three days from now and spend time with you."

"Sounds good."

"Really?"

Naruto nodded.

Sakura punched her fist into the air. "Yosh!"

"Hey, if you don't mind, I'll walk you home."

"Huh?"

"I want to walk you home, Sakura. I want to talk with you on the way. Will it be alright?"

Sakura smiled. "Sure."

…

The sun was about to set. The sky was slowly turning red and it was beautiful.

"So, how's Sasuke?" Naruto asked.

"He's doing well with the rehabilitation. Almost eighty percent of his chakra channels have been reconstructed. The best Chakra Channel Engineers of the Hyuuga clan are working on it. He'll be out in no time." A beat. "You know, I still can't believe it. I didn't think that things would turn out so badly. I never considered the possibility that you and Sasuke would return home in that condition."

…

It had been a rainy night. She was with the Special Operation Group (SOG) searching for Naruto. They found him and Sasuke lying on their backs under the steady patter of the rain. Sasuke had a lot of small wounds over his body. His eyes stared blankly at the sky. His breathing was slow.

On the other hand, the body a few paces from Sasuke wasn't moving.

"Sakura," he whispered. "Save him…before…it's too late…he already…lost…too much blood."

"How about you?"

"I'm fine. He saved me."

"Naruto? Where is Naruto?"

"He is…Naruto."

The boy lying on his stomach had lost both his limbs. He was lying on a pool of blood. A nasty cut was on his shoulder.

Immediately, Sakura rolled the body over. Her eyes grew wide.

The skin on the boy's chest and stomach was filled with tiny wounds like Sasuke's, as if they had been pecked by small birds.

Sakura couldn't move.

"Move!" Shizune yelled, pushing her away. "Kogure, oxygen! Miho, bring me blood! What the fuck are you doing, Sakura? Find his arms! Hurry! We might be still able to attach them."

"It's no use," Sasuke muttered. "His arms vaporized."

…

"I was really frightened then. Really frightened. I thought I was just having a nightmare. How are your artificial arms, by the way?"

"They're doing fine."

"That technique you used was really dangerous."

"That's why it's already sealed away."

"Still, being able to create a technique at the level where it must be sealed away…Naruto, you're amazing."

"Thanks. But I think it's not something that I can be happy about."

"No. You should be proud of yourself, Naruto. I'm proud that I have a friend as strong as you."

Naruto blushed at this remark. "You're praising me too much."

"I'm just telling the truth."

"Well, I guess I can accept that if you put it that way."

Sakura's house came into view. "Oh, we're here. Thank you for walking me home, Naruto."

"It's nothing."

"Well, see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Ah, Naruto—" She suddenly kissed him on the cheek. "Take care."

Naruto was startled. "O-okay." He touched his cheek.

"Bye!" Sakura walked to the main door with a bounce on her toes.

…

On his way home, he saw a man he remembered to be a peddler who came to Konoha, rarely. He knew what the peddler sold. He got an idea.

…

"I'm home," Naruto said, stretching. "Ah, so tiring." The delicious smell of pork cutlets reached his nose. "Wow, smells good."

"Welcome back, Naruto," Ino said. She was in the kitchen.

He went to the fridge and got himself a glass of juice. The fridge was full of food. "You shopped?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you were hiding."

"Don't underestimate my skills in espionage. I can easily disguise myself as another person."

"But you don't have to buy this much."

"Well, guys might not bother filling their refrigerators with food, but girls always make it an issue."

He drank his juice and put the glass in the sink. "I just don't want you spending too much of your money. You filled my fridge up to a week of supplies."

Ino gave him a look. "Temporarily, this is our fridge. And about the money, don't worry about it. I don't know how, but I found a pouch of money in my bag. Maybe my father put it in there. Somehow, he is opposed to the marriage interview."

"I see. Lucky for me, then. By the way," he got a box of chocolate from his belt bag, "here. I bought you some."

Ino was delighted. "Blue chocolates! Wow! Is this really for me?"

"Yeah. Blue chocolate peddlers only come once every two years. It would have been a waste if I didn't grab the chance."

"But this is so expensive! Wait. Are you sure this is for me? How about Sakura?"

"I bought her one last year, but I think she didn't like it. It was still untouched after a week. If I hadn't reminded her about it, she might've forgotten it altogether."

Ino detected something. "Where did you see it?"

"It was funny, you know. I know that blue chocolates won't melt under room temperature, but I found it inside a drawer in her study desk."

Ino held out the box of chocolate. "You'd better give this to Sakura."

"Huh? I told you she didn't like blue chocolates."

"You just misunderstood the situation."

"I don't think I misunderstood something."

Ino sighed. "Just give it. Even if she doesn't like it. This is something rare and that makes it special. Girls like it when someone gives them a special gift."

Naruto frowned. He stared at the chocolate. "I don't want to waste it on her."

Ino tossed the box of chocolate on the table and started to walk away. She harshly exhaled through her nose. "I don't know if you are truly an idiot or just acting like one!"

"What?"

"Give it to her. I'm gonna take a shower."

"Ino, wait!" She stomped towards the bathroom.

"What's wrong with her?" He looked at the box of chocolate. After a moment, he sighed. "I still don't understand, but maybe she's telling the truth. She has more knowledge about these things, anyway." He picked up the box of chocolate. "Might as well bring this to Sakura before it gets dark."

…

Ino had a sour face as they ate that night. No one spoke a word until they finished. Ino volunteered to wash the dishes. Naruto went to the porch to rest.

While mesmerized with the stars, he heard the door beside him open. Ino went to the gate with the trash bag. She didn't look at him. When she came back, she avoided meeting his eyes.

"Ino," he said with a tentative smile.

Ino gazed at him, coldly. "What?"

"Here." Naruto held out a box of chocolate to her.

"I told you to—"

"I bought another one." He smiled. "You were right. Sakura was happy to have it. I'm sorry."

Ino was taken aback. Not wanting to show her embarrassment, she looked away. "You shouldn't have bothered."

"To tell you the truth, when I was buying the chocolate earlier, you were the one on my mind. I thought it would make you happy. It was really yours. But I'm glad you told me to give one to Sakura."

Ino glanced at the box of chocolate in his hand.

"It is just fortunate that the merchant is staying for the night," Naruto went on. "I thought I wouldn't find him anymore."

Ino now shifted her attention on his face. His smile was contagious, and she couldn't help smiling back. "What can I say? Thank you."

"It's nice to see you smiling."

Ino took his gift and started for the door. When her hand was on the knob, she stopped. "Naruto, I warn you. Don't be too nice to me."

"I'm just not comfortable around people who pout, especially when they are living under the same roof with me."

Ino smiled, her cheeks prettily blushing. "Just don't do it."

"What? Buying you stuff?" He chuckled. "Even if I want to, I guess I won't be able to for a long time. I just spent two months of my salary."

"What? Hey!"

Naruto gave her a lopsided grin. "Kidding. I've my savings. Your smile is enough compensation."

"Thank you for this. And Naruto, I told you not to be too frank." She was more energetic when she climbed up the stairs to his room.

…

Naruto knocked at the door of his room. "Ino? Are you still awake? Can I come in?"

"Give me a minute!"

Naruto gulped, some dirty thoughts hovering inside his mind.

"Okay!" Ino finally said. "You can come in, now."

When he opened the door, he was looking at the opposite direction.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ino asked.

"Ano, I heard once that you girls liked to wear tiny clothes for sleeping." He was blushing, furiously. "If you don't mind, could you just bring me the futon? I'll wait here." He closed the door. From inside, he heard Ino laughing.

After a while, the door opened and Ino, in her pajamas, came out with the futon and blanket. She was giggling. "What's wrong with you? Don't act silly. This is your house. You're making me feel guilty about staying here."

"Well…"

Ino dropped the sleeping stuff on the floor. "And I don't wear nighties. I don't wear anything."

Naruto shut his eyes. "Are you kidding? Come on, Ino. Don't joke around. The devil might push me."

Ino laughed. "I'm kidding. Look. I'm in pajamas." No reaction. "I'm not kidding this time. If I'm gonna wear a sexy nightgown, I'm gonna wear it if Sasuke is around."

Finally, Naruto turned to her. "Thank goodness."

"Why aren't you sleeping in your room, anyway?"

"Ino—"

"I trust you, if that's your concern. You won't do anything to me, will you?"

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, yes, I won't do anything to you, of course."

Ino inspected his face. "You're blushing, you're stammering, and you're pretty defensive. Can I really trust you?"

Naruto stared at her face. "No. It'd be better if I slept in the living room."

Ino flashed an incredulous smile. "You mean you _might_ do something to me if given the chance."

"Look, you're—let's admit it—you're an attractive girl. I'm a boy. We're alone. The night is cold and quiet. You're an attractive girl."

She blushed. His words were hammering something into her. "You said it again."

"No. I don't trust myself." He picked up the tidily folded sleeping paraphernalia.

"Are you attracted to me?" She seemed startled at herself for asking.

Naruto stiffened. There was an uncomfortable silence that followed. "Good night," he finally said. Hastily, he climbed down the stairs without looking back.

Ino went inside with a racing heart. She leaned on the door after closing it, gaping with disbelief at the ceiling. The darkness of the room might not show anything, but she was sure she was blushing.

"Maybe I can't trust myself, either," she muttered.

…

Ino stayed awake for a while, just staring at the ceiling. She looked out the window at the stars and forced herself to think of other stuff. She hadn't expected to be swayed this way. Naruto had only shown a little kindness, but its impact to her was incredible. _No! I love Sasuke. I should not entertain adulterous thoughts. And for goodness' sake, not Naruto! Not him._ She shut her eyes and chanted that she loved Sasuke over and over again. But somehow Naruto's face lingered. She turned her head at the picture frame on the lamp table. She willed herself to stare at Sasuke's face, but her eyes kept on coming back on Naruto's. "God, what is this? I'm being silly. Think it through, Ino. That boy is the least attractive guy in town." She considered. Without the smug face he used to have in his childhood, he was clearly a handsome man. He had a nice body. And he was the sweetest guy she had met. How many guys would give her an expensive and rare chocolate just for the reason that it would make her happy? Naruto was the only one who did it for her. It had immensely touched her. Suddenly, a tear flowed down her cheek. "What's happening to me?" Using the back of her hand, she wiped it.

"Ino?" Naruto's voice.

She was startled.

"Ino, I know you're still awake." She didn't respond. "I know you were bothered about our conversation earlier. I want to apologize if it felt awkward. I'm not really good with these kinds of stuff." She stopped herself from responding. "Ino?" There was a full minute of silence before he spoke again. "Damn it! What the hell am I doing? Man, this is getting weirder and weirder. Sigh. She seems not bothered by it. I'm the only one being ridiculous here." She heard a small creak; he had put his hand on the door. "I won't be able to sleep if I don't say this. I hope you really are sleeping." A few moments of hesitation. "Okay, here it goes. The truth is I have had a crush on you for a long time. It happened two years ago when I saw you in your white yukata on the night of the Cherry Blossom Festival. You were very beautiful that night. For the longest time, I've suppressed this feeling because I know that you love Sasuke." He paused. "I succeeded in letting it go. It was very difficult, but I did it. But it came back today. When you asked me if I was attracted to you. Maybe what I felt for Sakura is different from what I feel for you, because I never really forgot about it. It never died." He sighed. "I really hope that you are sleeping. Please, please, please, don't become weird on me tomorrow. Have a pleasant night."

"Naruto…" Ino said. She groped for her heart. She could feel its wild beating.

…

Ino groggily climbed down the stairs. She hadn't had any sleep last night. She felt unwell.

Walking with her head bowed, she kept on walking to the bathroom. She passed by the kitchen without noticing that Naruto was there. He was drenched with sweat, sipping milk at the fridge.

"Awake already?" Naruto said. "It's too early."

Ino gasped. She turned and gave him a forced smile. "Hi, Naruto, good morning! I'm actually an early riser, so you should get used to it."

Naruto put the carton of milk down on the table and inspected her face. "What happened to your eyes? You look like you didn't have any sleep."

"I'm fine. Don't worry." She started to leave.

His face was filled with alarm. "Ino, did you hear?"

Ino stopped, taken aback. "Heard what?"

"I thought you were asleep, so..." He glanced at her, and then looked away.

Ino feigned innocence. "Are you saying that there are spirits dwelling in here?"

"Spirits?"

"Am I supposed to hear something? Tell me now so I can find another place to stay! I can stand anything but ghosts!"

Naruto blinked at her. "No. Nothing like that."

"What then?"

He let out a breath of relief. "You got me worried for a while there."

"You're the one making me worried, and don't evade the question! Is your place haunted?"

"No, it's not. I was concerned about something else."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for scaring you."

Ino pretended to sigh. "That's good news." She gazed at his naked muscular upper body. "Aren't you cold? Maybe you should use the shower first."

"I'm fine. Go on. I'll have to make ten more rounds around the village." He went back to the table to fetch his T-shirt. "See you later."

"Yeah."

When he was finally gone, Ino let out a long sigh of relief. "This is beginning to become complicated. I wish I was asleep last night."

…

Naruto put a mouthful of rice in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed. He was eating breakfast with Ino.

"This is something new for me," he said. "I usually eat ramen in the morning."

"You don't like it?" Ino asked.

"It's not what I mean. You cook really well."

"Thank you."

Naruto glanced up at her. "You've been quiet ever since I came back. What's the matter?"

"Don't worry about me."

"I told you, right? There are no ghosts here. If you want, I know a priestess and she can do a spirit cleansing in here."

Ino couldn't help but smile. "It's not that, silly. It's been a day. I'm sure my parents have already started looking for me. Besides, I'm still a kunoichi. I know they have already consulted Master Tsunade about the situation. Any time soon, I'll be summoned to explain myself."

"I'll talk to Master Tsunade and tell her that you're staying with me."

"You can't do that! Master Tsunade won't tolerate what I did. She will surely order me to return home."

"That's my advantage over you. You don't know much about Master Tsunade. She'll understand. You'll see. Then I'll talk to your father. You told me that he was somewhat against you being married off to someone you don't like."

"Naruto, you're making things more difficult for me. I think nobody else should know about my whereabouts just yet."

"They will find out sooner than later. Even if they're hard on you, they're still your parents. I know they love you very much. When I was young, Sandaime-ojii-chan always found me however well I hid myself. He said it was because he loved me. It seems that people have an inborn sense of what the persons they love are thinking. Trust me. They're gonna find out that you're staying in here. Don't underestimate the parents who raised you."

"But what if it turns out, differently?"

"If that happens, I'll not give you up."

Ino blinked.

"I'll not let them do what they want, even if that means I'll have to fight against them."

"Naruto…"

"Don't worry. We will end this together. I'll always be on your side."

Ino clutched hard on her chopsticks. "Why are you doing this much for me? I told you don't be so kind to me."

He looked down and his voice became soft. "I just realized something, something I shouldn't have tried forgetting about." A beat. "So, cheer up. Everything will work out."

…

Naruto came back around ten after he had gone to talk with Master Tsunade. Ino was slicing some onions in the kitchen. He had a large grin on his face.

Ino stopped what she was doing. "How did it go?"

"She wants to talk to you tomorrow. She said she would inform your father."

Her hand with the knife suddenly jerked and cut her finger. "Ouch!"

"What happened?"

"Damn it, I'm so clumsy!"

Naruto ran to her. "Let me see."

"It's okay. It's just a small cut."

"Let me see!" Naruto took her hand. Her forefinger was bleeding.

"Naruto, it's okay. I just panicked a little about your news. I can handle it—Naruto!"

Naruto had put her finger in his mouth.

Ino tried to pull it away. "Naruto, stop this!" She could feel his warm tongue against her wound. She was red in embarrassment. "Naruto, please!"

Ignoring her, he slowly walked backwards, pulling her by the wrist. He backed off until he could reach a cabinet behind him. He reached out, opened the cabinet, and took out a first aid kit from there. He got himself a bottle of antiseptic and band aid. "Keep it up," he said. Using a cotton ball, he dabbed Ino's wound with the antiseptic and wrapped it with the band aid. "All right. I'll finish up for you. Have a break." When he looked up, he saw tears falling from Ino's eyes. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I told you, didn't I? Don't be so kind to me! Why are you so stubborn? I don't like this. I don't like this at all, Naruto!"

"I'm just trying to help. I'm sorry if I offended you in some way."

Ino caught herself. "I'm sorry. Excuse me." She ran off upstairs.

Naruto could only watch her departure.

…

Naruto knocked on the door with a tray of food in one hand. It had been two hours since Ino went back to his room. "Ino, I brought you lunch. I'm coming in." When she didn't reply, he opened the door and peeked inside. Ino was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at her wounded finger. "Ino?"

Ino jumped. "Naruto!"

"Hi. I brought you lunch. May I come in?"

"Of course! Come in."

He entered and put the tray on the lamp table. "I had my lunch."

"I'm sorry I couldn't eat with you."

"It's all right. I know that you don't feel well. You've been acting weird since this morning. Just leave the dishes in the sink. I will wash it after my training with Sakura."

"I'm strong enough to wash the dishes, Naruto. It's okay. I'll wash the dishes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"All right, if that's what you want. But promise me no more chores, afterwards."

"Okay." She beamed. "Naruto, you're spoiling me too much."

"I like what I'm doing." He went outside and gently closed the door.

…

Naruto arrived on Ino sleeping soundly in his room when he came back. He was there to get some clothes. He noticed that the blanket over her was disheveled, so he fixed it, brushing away some loose strands of her golden hair that had found their way onto her pretty face. Before he left, he sat on the edge of the bed and took some time to watch her as she slept. His heart beat erratically in his chest. This was the girl he had fallen in love with. Originally, he thought that it would be Sakura until the end. But fate stepped in and brought him Ino, the girl who had laughed at him the loudest, the girl who had underestimated him the most, and the girl who had trusted him the least. Maybe it was because of her attitude towards him. It had made an impact in him. Because of it, he spent a great deal thinking about her. And when he saw her in her yukata that fateful night, he knew she was the one. It was only a pity that she loved someone else.

"I will treasure this moment in my life forever. I'll pray for your happiness until the moment of my death."

He got up and went back to his business.

…

Naruto still had his apron on when Ino came to the kitchen. It was seven-thirty in the evening. Ino had a towel around her neck, her eyes filled with sleepiness, and her hair a mess. But despite of her sleep-induced appearance, she was still very pretty.

"Good evening, Ino," Naruto greeted, smiling.

Ino gave him a grin. "Hi."

"This is my first time not seeing you in ponytail. It suits you."

"You're going overboard with the flattery, Naruto. I'm starting to think that you're wooing me." She caught herself. Naruto was taken aback. "I mean…" She didn't know how to proceed.

"Dinner will be ready soon." Naruto scooped up the sliced onions and put it in the pan. "I'm sure you'll like this."

"I-I'm looking forward to it."

…

Ino was impressed with Naruto's cooking. They were both satisfied.

…

Naruto was watching the sky from the porch. The sky was showing off her beauty that night. She looked brilliant with her jewels of immeasurable quantity and luminescence.

Ino approached with a tray of tea. "Here's something to drink." She set down a cup of tea beside him and sat down.

"Thank you." Naruto sipped from his cup.

"Such a clear night. So beautiful."

"Yeah. It's been my habit to look at her every night. She knows how to make me relax when stressed. I'll never get tired watching her."

"You said that before."

"Huh?"

"You told me that you found me attractive because you'd never get tired looking at me."

Naruto looked at her. She was looking at the sky. "It was the first time I heard something like that, and you said it with such frankness I didn't know what to think of it."

"I'm sorry if it sounded weird."

"It was never weird. I liked it." A pause. "Naruto, you still haven't answered my question."

"What question?"

"If you are attracted to me or not."

He couldn't answer.

"Are you, Naruto?"

"What is this all of a sudden, Ino?" He sipped long from his cup, his hand mildly trembling.

"Girls are sensitive creatures. They can detect intentions however subtle they seem to be—"

Naruto sighed. He put his cup down. "You don't have to pretend, anymore. It's true. Everything you heard last night is true. I love you."

It took a long time before Ino could respond. "I was telling myself that it was just a dream."

Silence.

"I shouldn't have said that," Naruto said.

"I'm glad you told me. But, Naruto, you know that it will never work out between us. I love someone else."

Naruto grinned, but sadness filled his eyes. "I know. But Sasuke is a nice guy, so I can easily let it go."

Ino let out a forced laugh. "You are not embarrassed in admitting your feelings for me. That's rare for a guy."

"As long as possible, I'm always honest about what I think. I'm not expecting anything in return, so I'm confident that I can live with whatever answer you'll give." When Naruto turned to look at her, he was surprised to see her watching him. He reached out and caressed her face. "You're so beautiful."

They looked into each other's eyes, frozen, until both of them became lost in the moment. They didn't notice that they were moving closer to each other.

"Naruto, don't do this," she pleaded, her face flushed. "Naruto, please."

When their lips were only an inch away, he stopped. He put his forehead against hers, the expression on his face that of affliction. "Do you want to know how fast my heart is beating right now?" he whispered.

"I love Sasuke, Naruto. Please stop me from doing something that I might regret."

Both of them could smell each other's breath. They were both breathing hard, fighting back the desire shared by two souls caught inside a complex labyrinth of emotion.

Naruto held her hands, gently squeezing them. "You have such pretty hands." His eyes went back to her face. "Such lovely eyes, cute nose, a beautiful pair of lips. I wish I could have you. Even for a single night. I wish it with all my heart." He brought her right hand to his mouth and kissed its palm. "But I understand." He let go, exhaled, and sipped the remaining tea in his cup. He grinned at her. Now it was a contented grin. "I'll help you as much as I can, but you must do the rest. Tomorrow comes the first phase."

…

Master Tsunade and Inoichi Yamanaka had come early the following morning. Naruto left them alone inside his apartment. He waited for them outside.

After several minutes, the door opened. Master Tsunade, Mr. Yamanaka, and Ino came out. Naruto stood up.

"I hope that everything has been settled," Naruto said.

Ino pulled her large bag out of the door. "I'm going with my father, Naruto."

Mr. Yamanaka smiled. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter. I'll consider this a debt of gratitude. If you need anything, you can come to me."

Naruto smiled, sadly. "Don't mention it. She is always welcome at my house."

"Naruto, make sure that you will not tell anyone about this," Tsunade said. "I trust you."

"I will never do that. My lips are sealed."

Mr. Yamanaka said to his daughter, "I'll give you some time to say goodbye, properly."

"Okay," Ino softly said.

Master Tsunade and Mr. Yamanaka left.

Ino glanced up at Naruto. "So, I guess this is goodbye."

"Are you going back home?" Naruto said.

"No. I'll be living with my grandmother for a while until my problem with mom is settled. She has supported me with everything since I was a child."

"Good for you."

There was an awkward silence that followed.

"Ah, Naruto, about our conversation last night—"

"It never happened, okay. It was all a dream."

"Are you sure you're okay with that?"

Naruto smiled. "Who do you think I am? I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Something like this won't bring me down."

"You really are so kind."

"Really, Ino, you don't have to worry. I'm fine."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really, really?"

"Really, really."

"Then you don't really love me, do you?"

"Ino."

Ino let out a nervous laugh. "Just kidding."

Naruto fiddled with the zipper of his jacket. "You're father is waiting for you."

"I know."

"So what are you still doing here?"

"You want me to leave already?" She looked at him. "I've been thinking, Naruto. All night."

"Last night, I went to see Sasuke."

Ino stiffened upon hearing his name. "Sasuke?"

"He said that he would help you in any way he could. If you want, I can arrange a meeting between the two of you."

Instead of being happy about the news, Ino was irritated. "What?"

"What's with that reaction? I didn't say anything to him that I didn't have the right to say, if that is what you're concerned about."

"Naruto, you've just made me upset with you."

"It's better this way, Ino. You love Sasuke. I apologize if I swayed your heart a little. I know I was too kind to you this past two days. I didn't mean it. Sorry." He smiled, but his sadness was palpable. "What are you waiting for? Your father is getting impatient."

Ino was glaring at him. "I thought you loved me."

"It was just a dream, Ino."

"I can't believe this."

Suddenly, Naruto grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an embrace. Ino let out a gasp of surprise. He pulled her chin up and kissed her on the lips. "Don't make this more difficult for me." He embraced her again, this time tighter. "Please, Ino."

"Naruto…"

He broke the embrace and kissed her cheek. "Good luck."

Before she could say a word, he left.

…

Ino was sitting inside a coach with his father. They were travelling to Eda, a province where the Yamanaka clan owned many hectares of land. She was watching the scenery outside, but she was not seeing anything.

"Ino, what's the matter? You've been quiet ever since we left," Mr. Yamanaka said.

"What?"

"If you're worrying about your mother, don't. I'll take care of her."

"No. It's not about mother."

"It's not about your mother. Now, that's a difficult one. Who else is able to take your mind up on the clouds other than your mother? Ah, I know. Is it about Sasuke? Do you want to know how he is? You can ask me. I'm his psychological therapist, after all."

"How is he?" she asked without fervor.

"Oh, he's doing fine. He's always asking about Naruto. Just about everyday, it is always Naruto that we talk about. He's really fond with the guy."

She was hurt upon hearing this. "Father, you know my feelings about Sasuke, right?"

Mr. Yamanaka became serious. "What about it?"

"Would you be happy if I became his bride?"

"I don't care who it is. I trust you. As long as you are happy, it's okay with me."

"Dad, I want to ask a favor from you?"

Mr. Yamanaka sighed. "I thought that this would happen. Go on."

"I want to see Sasuke."

…

Ino was shivering as she and her father walked the hallway towards Sasuke's room. Not just because the place was fully air-conditioned, but also because this was the first time she would see Sasuke after a long time.

The place was full of white-clad patients, roaming around the corridors. Same as Sasuke, they were shinobis who had had severe injuries that they needed constant monitoring from medical-nins. This special facility was managed by Shikaku Nara, the head of the Research Department.

"We're here," Mr. Yamanaka said.

They pushed the wooden door and entered the room. It was large, complete with furniture like a house. And at the window, a man with black, long hair stood watching the sunset. Ino's heart beat fast in anticipation.

"Sasuke?" she said.

Sasuke whirled to see who had called. His handsome face brightened up. Ino blinked. He was more handsome now than before. And there was a calm quality surrounding him. His black eyes were gentle; his smile was comely. Ino blushed.

"Hi, Sasuke-kun, how are you doing?" Mr. Yamanaka greeted. "I'm sorry to disturb you. My daughter badly wanted to see you."

"Dad!" she hissed.

"It's all right. I'm glad you're here to visit," he said. His voice was soft and gentle, as if he was another person altogether.

Ino was not prepared for the revelation. Just two days ago, she had realized how Naruto really was. Now, this.

"It's been a long time, Ino-san. How are you?" Sasuke approached them, limping with his crutch. "You've grown into quite a pretty lady."

"You're trying to flatter me." It was more of a question.

"I'm merely telling you what I think."

"I'll excuse myself. Take your time, Ino, but be sure not to stress him too much. You're a medical-nin. You know these things. Sasuke-kun, see you later." Mr. Yamanaka left the room.

"Have a seat," Sasuke said, beckoning her towards the living area of his room. "I'll make us some tea." He returned after a while with a tray in his hand. He put the tray on the center table and sat across Ino. The tray contained a plate of cookies, two cups, and a small porcelain decanter. Sasuke poured tea for Ino and himself. "Thank you for visiting, Ino-san."

"How's your rehabilitation?"

"Well, I'm getting quite bored with the place." He smiled. "My life has been routine. I can't go out, freely. I need to sleep on schedule. Every thing is measured."

"I'm amazed you can put up with it."

"This is some kind of atonement for my crimes, so I accept it with all my heart. I owe my life to Naruto. I don't want to make him worry anymore. I will complete the rehabilitation without any complaints. I promised him. How about you? Is everything okay on your end?"

"I'm fine. I'm a registered medical-nin now, like Sakura."

"Ah, Sakura. Yes. That reminds me. I'm told that you had a fight because of me. What was that about?"

Ino blushed. "It was a girl thing. You don't have to know."

"I see."

"Who told you?"

"Naruto filled me in about everything. Because of that, I felt that I didn't really leave Konoha."

No one spoke for a while.

Then, Sasuke said, "You keep staring at me. Is there dirt on my face?" He smiled, testing.

"No. I was just thinking. You really changed."

"Blame Naruto for it. This is all his fault."

"It's your own doing."

"It's not."

"Have you become a Naruto worshipper now?"

Sasuke laughed. "Are you upset with Naruto? Your frown seems to deepen every time I mention his name."

Ino blushed. "Okay. Let's drop the pretense. I came here because I'm confused, okay. I'm confused."

"With what?"

She crumpled the fabric of her skirt. "I think I've fallen in love with Naruto."

"That's it?"

"But I think I'm still in love with you."

Sasuke was taken aback and he showed it. "What?"

"Sasuke, I know that this is too sudden, but I don't know what to do anymore. Ever since we were young, I've loved you. But things happened. My mom and I had a fight. I stayed with Naruto for two days. He confessed to me. I thought I could ignore it, but I couldn't."

Sasuke stared out the window, thinking.

Ino started to cry. "I can't decide. Earlier, I had difficulty leaving Naruto. I was waiting for him to stop me, but he didn't. I'm upset with him because he told me to pretend his confession was a dream. I don't know why I'm suddenly upset. I want to pretend that it was all just a dream, but there's a voice inside me that doesn't want to do that."

"Look at me, Ino," Sasuke said. She looked at him. "Now, tell me how you feel about me at this very moment."

She looked away, and then stood up. "I can't. I don't know."

"I'm not good at these things, Ino. I apologize. I couldn't help that much."

"I'm sorry to bother you with my personal problems."

"That's okay."

"Thank you for the time. I'm really sorry to bother you."

Sasuke stood up and reached for her hand.

Ino looked at him, inquiringly.

"I think you already know the answer to your question," Sasuke said. "It's really hard to confess a feeling that brings about embarrassment if you have a high self-esteem."

"Meaning?"

"Your confession to me was hollow, Ino. Right now, in your heart, there is only Naruto."

…

The Yamanaka Estate in Eda was a walled mansion with seventy-four buildings. It was at the foot of Mount Akagi, a dormant, white-capped volcano. The scenery was brilliant, but Ino was unable to enjoy it. The servants welcomed them grandly. All Ino did was greet them back, half-heartedly. At the head of long line of maids and butlers, Lady Yamanaka Jun excitedly waited.

"Ino-chan!" The old lady threw her arms around Ino. "Wow, you've grown really beautiful! I missed you so much."

Her grandmother's warm embraced stirred deep emotions in her. She couldn't help from crying.

"Why are you crying?"

"Grandma, I don't know what to do!"

"Come, come, my child. Inoichi, please stay for dinner."

"I'm sorry, Haha-ue, I have something important to do in Konoha. Please, take care of Ino."

"You don't have to say that."

"Thank you, Haha-ue." He bowed and got in the coach. As the coach began to leave, Mr. Yamanaka glanced back at his daughter.

…

Lady Jun and Ino entered a grand room. It was big enough to house four classrooms of the Ninja Academy in Konoha. It was complete with furniture and large statues of Buddha. There were also wash-out paintings and beautiful calligraphies hanging on the walls. The floor was made of gleaming marble tiles with intricate designs. Large columns of spiral design manned the large space in two straight rows.

Lady Jun went to a couch where she seated Ino and herself. "What is it, my child? Is it about your mom?"

Ino shook her head. "I don't think she is a problem, anymore."

"Hmmm, so what is it?"

Ino's face turned red. She held her grandma's hands. "Granny, there is this girl who has been in love with a guy. Then something happens and she is forced to stay with another guy. This guy was a failure before and she was one of those people who didn't like him. But then, after a few days of being with this guy, she realizes what a fool she has been." Tears came running down her cheeks again. "Then he suddenly confesses that he has been in love with her for a long time. This almost tears the girl in two. She becomes confused. She doesn't know what to do. So she decides to talk with the guy she has been in love with to confirm her true feelings. But after talking with him, she learns that she still has feelings for him. Granny, what do you think the girl should do?"

Lady Jun giggled. "Ino, how will you describe your ideal guy?"

"My ideal guy should be handsome, intelligent, and cool. Of course, I also want him to be gentle and caring." Her eyes took on a preoccupied look, her voice a wistful quality. "Especially caring. I want him to treat me well. I want him to surprise me with special gifts. I want him to be honest and straightforward with what he thinks. That's what I want my ideal guy to be."

"You seem to be describing two different men. No intelligent person is straightforward. No gentle person is cool."

"I don't know anymore, Granny. I don't know who to choose."

"Who are these two people?"

"Granny…"

"Well?"

"Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke."

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

WAVES

CHAPTER 2

It was a day of incredulity for Tsunade. Last night a woman had given birth to a quintuplet—five healthy baby girls—the first in the history of Konoha. This morning Shizune had asked for a two day vacation because of sore eyes—also a first. Shizune had never been sick before, not in her wake. And now Inoichi was in the middle of telling her something so out of reason it was funny.

"Wait. You are telling me to assign your wife as Sasuke's nurse?"

"Yes."

Tsunade looked at Inoichi, scowling to tell him that it was not the answer she would like to hear.

"Hana was one of those people who barged in my office and demanded that Sasuke be publicly executed. Now you're telling me that I should make her his nurse."

"Hana antagonizes Sasuke because she doesn't know him. If we give her a chance to know Sasuke, I'm sure her opinion of him will change."

"You are asking me to put Sasuke's life at risk. Can you hear yourself?"

"I can say this because I know that Hana will not do something stupid."

"Yes, if not given a chance. She will curl there in a corner as long as her prey is out of sight."

"This is also a chance for Sasuke to face the things he neglected."

"He is facing them everyday. Are you stupid enough not to feel hostility from other people when Sasuke is around? That boy cannot even eat alone in public in fear of being lynched."

"I'm only suggesting that you give him a chance, too, to show that he deserves forgiveness. You can't imprison him in a cell forever."

"No. That time will come. It's too early to venture into something dangerous. This conversation is over."

"I have another reason for suggesting this. No one else wants the assignment."

Tsunade looked into Inoichi's eyes.

"Even Sakura has expressed her unpreparedness for the task."

"Even Sakura?"

"I'm sorry that you need to hear this, but yes. Even Sakura. The last time I saw her in the facility was when Sasuke cut his wrist. Since then, only Naruto has cared to visit."

"God, what is happening to these people? She even had a crush on him."

"Times have changed. You cannot blame them for feeling that way."

"All right. I get it. I'll just assign someone to monitor your wife."

"You should not do that, Master Tsunade. It'd be bad if Hana found out that she was being observed. To make this work, we will have to trust her."

"That's the problem. I cannot trust your wife. She clearly hates the boy."

"I know where you're coming from, but Hana is not that desperate to attempt to kill Sasuke. Let's give her a chance, Master Tsunade."

"Do you trust your wife that much?"

"I can't say I trust her one hundred percent."

"Then why are you so confident that this will work?"

"Because I trust Sasuke. I know that he can convince my wife."

"You cannot be so sure. Things are bound to happen when two opposites clash."

"It will not be like that. Trust me, Master Tsunade."

A moment of hesitation. Tsunade held on to the Duty Detail Order in her hand. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"I'll take responsibility if something happens."

"As if you have a choice." She handed the piece of paper to Inoichi. "Listen. If something happens to Sasuke, and it turns out that it's your wife's fault, I can never forgive her."

"I understand."

..

Hana had been surprised when Tsunade suddenly called for her to give her an assignment. It was a long time ago ever since she had a special assignment from the Hokage. Usually, these days, she worked as a senior consultant in the Konoha Hospital.

"Good morning, Ma'am," Hana said. "Reporting for duty."

"Yamanaka Hana, good morning."

She was not expecting the next words Tsunade said. And she only found herself nodding yes at each of the Hokage's questions. The next thing she knew, she was travelling with two Jonins to the Konoha Special Rehabilitation Center where Sasuke was confined.

The big, white building was filled with brown, translucent glasses, and had architecture more suitable for an art museum. This was her first time seeing the place. And this would be her first time meeting with Sasuke ever since Naruto had brought him back. She was not excited about it, but this was her chance to justify her beliefs about the ex-criminal.

"I can manage from here," Hana told the Jonins. Without waiting for a reply, she went in the center. She asked a male attendant and was taken to Sasuke's room.

"You can call me for anything, Ma'am," the attendant said. He was clearly captivated by her.

She suppressed a laugh, loving the attention. "I will. Could you prepare me the schedule sheet of the patient in this room?"

"Absolutely."

"By the way, I'm Mrs. Hana Yamanaka, the wife of this facility's head of Psychological Department."

The attendant was surprised. "I-I understand."

When the young attendant was gone, Hana inhaled a lungful. Then she slowly pushed the door. The room smelled like a house, and when she looked around the room, she found out that it _was _indeed a house. There were large windows overlooking a nice view of greeneries and mountains. At the leftmost corner, an entryway led into a balcony. The bed was fixed. On the side table, a lone, white orchid in a vase swayed with the wind that entered the open windows.

"Hello?" Hana tentatively said. "Uchiha-san?"

"I'm here." The voice came from the balcony. "I'm sorry I can't come to you. My knees are killing me. I can't stand up."

Sasuke's voice kindled a fresh wave of anger in her. "You need to come here to sign some papers."

"Would you please wait for a few minutes for my knees to calm down? I'm sorry you came at an unfortunate time."

Hana was convinced that he was just acting. It had been months since his therapy started. There was no way he still couldn't walk. She would not budge. _Aren't you strong? Then show me._ "I'm going. I'm sorry to disturb you."

"Wait! I'm coming."

Hana heard a grunt from Sasuke and the clanging of the leg of a chair against the floor. She frowned. It seemed that he was not acting after all. She swallowed her sympathy. If he was really in pain, then that was good news. She heard the chair suddenly scraping hard against the floor. Sasuke had fallen, but still she stood where she was, anticipating his entrance with a glare in her eyes.

Sasuke came in with a red spot in his forehead. His face was drenched with sweat. He limped towards her with his cane. Instead of pulling some pity, the cluck of Sasuke's cane irritated her.

"I'm sorry for the trouble. I haven't seen you before. Are you new here?"

"I will be your new nurse." Hana produced a piece of document from her coat's pocket and handed it over to Sasuke. "Please sign this as proof that you accept me as replacement."

"Okay. Let me…" Sasuke turned, and then his knees buckled. He fell forward.

Hana just looked on.

"You saw something embarrassing. I'm sorry." Sasuke grabbed the end rail of his bed and pulled himself up to his feet. He smiled at her, and then walked on to his lamp table.

Seeing that smile, Hana's heart skipped a bit. It was a sad smile of acceptance. No mask, no pretense.

Sasuke sat on the edge of his bed with a sigh of relief. He pulled a drawer in his lamp table and produced a fountain pain. He looked at her as if seeking some assistance. Hana didn't move. Sasuke, defeated, could only shake his head. With a grunt, he pushed himself against his cane and limped towards her.

"Where do I sign?"

"Here," she said. She raised the paper to him. He put his hand beneath hers. The coldness of his palm made her look up. He was in too much pain that he needed to grit his teeth to prevent himself from groaning.

Sasuke fixed the piece of paper on her palm and signed.

"That should do it." He let go of her hand. "You resemble someone I know."

"Haven't you read my name in here?"

"Sorry. Focusing on writing was already too much for me."

"It's Yamanaka Hana. I'm Ino's mother."

"So that's why. Nice to meet you, Yamanaka-san."

Hana groaned in irritation and turned. "I'm going to return in time for your medicine."

"Thank you."

She started for the door.

"Yamanaka-san?"

She stopped and turned around.

"I'm sorry."

She was a mother, and she could see. The boy wanted to say more, but he didn't know how. She could see in his eyes not the physical pain his knees were giving him. It was the pain of guilt from meeting face to face with a person who loathed him.

"Eat it. I don't want you apologizing to me. You can't revive the people you killed."

Hana went out of the room.

…

Hana arrived at Sasuke's room three minutes before six.

"Uchiha-san, I'm coming in." She turned the knob and peered inside. She didn't see Sasuke. "Uchiha-san?"

"I'm in the balcony. Please, come in. As my nurse, you don't have to ask for permission to enter my room."

Hana went in and put the tray of medicine on his bed. "I brought your medicine."

"Could you give me a few more minutes? The sun is about to set."

"It's already six."

"Please, Yamanaka-san. This is one of my few remaining pleasures."

"Who told you that you could have a pleasant life in here? Did you forget that you're a criminal?"

"I will never forget that."

"Then come inside and drink your medicine."

She heard Sasuke sigh in dismay, which gave her a feeling of victory.

"All right. I'm coming in." Sasuke limped his way towards her. "Oh, you let down your hair. It suits you, Yamanaka-san."

"You cannot win me with flattery."

"I'm not trying to flatter you."

"Is that how you win support from villains? By sweet words?"

Sasuke pinched the tablet on the tray and put it in his mouth. He crunched the tablet with his teeth and grimaced. "As bitter as usual."

"Who told you to chew it?"

"I chew it to remind myself where I am."

"You should be in prison, not here. If all criminals are given this treatment, the world will go mad."

Sasuke's smile faded. "I know."

Hana smirked. "You know? What do _you_ know?"

"I know that I should be in prison rather than here?"

Hana glared at him.

"Do you want to watch the sunset with me? You'll not regret it."

"Excuse me." Hana snatched the tray from the bed and walked off.

…

When Hana got out, she saw Naruto walking in her direction. Her face darkened. Another pest she would have given everything to avoid. Naruto was carrying a tray of food.

"Huh? Aren't you Hana-oba-san?" Naruto said.

Hana's eyebrow twitched. "Are we that close? And I prefer the honorific _san—_alone—when someone pertains to me. Excuse me." She walked past him, covertly dropping a small device inside one of his back pockets.

Naruto watched her as she left. "What's wrong with her?" He shrugged and put on his happy face. He pushed the door open. "Sasuke!"

"I'm here." Sasuke called out from the balcony.

Naruto went to the balcony with the tray of food. Sasuke was seated on one of the two metal chairs, watching the gathering darkness. Naruto put the tray of food on the glass table.

"I almost missed the sunset," Sasuke said.

Naruto had ramen for himself and a simple rice and fish meal for Sasuke. "Was it because of Hana-oba-san? I saw her coming out of your room."

"Yes. She's my new nurse."

"What's happened to Akiko-san?"

"She was reassigned somewhere."

"Ummm." Naruto slurped some noodles. "You're always lucky with your nurses. Both of them are gorgeous."

"Naruto, Yamanaka-san is already a mother, and her daughter is of our age. It's improper to talk like that."

"But I'm only telling the truth."

"I know, but please don't talk of her like that." Sasuke split his chopsticks and pinched a mouthful of rice and fish. "I agree. She's pretty and…kind."

Naruto looked up. "You seem talking through your nose."

"She's just…she's just too strict."

"Sakura or her?"

"Her. Twice raised to three."

"Seriously?"

Sasuke laughed. "Maybe you can attribute that on her being a mother."

"Or it could be that she's deliberately making you suffer."

"Nothing like that. She's been nice to me so far."

Naruto continued eating. "Girlfriend type?"

Sasuke hit Naruto's head. "I told you not to say improper things."

"But she's attractive."

"Even so."

They chewed in silence for a brief moment.

"She's hot," Sasuke said.

Naruto glanced up and shared a look with Sasuke, and then both of them cracked. They laughed until bits of food almost spilled out their noses.

"Make friends with her, okay?" Naruto said.

"I'm trying, but the age gap is too large."

"Just imagine her as the girl next door. It's not that hard to do that. She looks like a teenager."

"If she's been listening, I bet steam is now coming off her head."

At the nurses' station, Hana couldn't decide how to sit. She was blushing furiously and fidgeting. She couldn't stop shaking her legs, as if getting impatient about something. Sometimes a smile would curl on her lips. Sometimes she could feel blood leaving her face. All throughout, her heart couldn't slow down. This was her first time eavesdropping on a conversation between teenage boys.

"Seriously, try your best to befriend her. She seems a nice person to me. Somewhat prim, but kind, nonetheless."

Sasuke sighed. "I will. After all, she's like my only companion after visiting hours are over."

"That's true and you had better remember it."

"Change of topic. How are you and Sakura? Anything interesting you want to share with me?"

"What do you think Hana-oba-san's choice of underwear? I want to see her in a black bikini."

Hana's foot sprang and hit the desk. She grimaced as she reached for her foot.

"I said change of topic," Sasuke said with a chuckle.

"Even though she's already a mom, she still got plenty of curves. Oh, my, I think I got hard."

"You got hard?"

Hana couldn't take it anymore. She ripped the earpiece off her ear and crushed it under her foot. She groped for her heart, breathing hard. She was very red in the face. Teenage boys were too much for her.

The tiny frog, which had been observing her since earlier, crawled through the gap beneath the door.

"She's gone," Naruto said, bringing the listening device out his pocket. "She put this in my pocket before I went in."

"She doesn't like me."

"And me, too. Maybe she's thinking that I might help you escape. Should I worry for you, Sasuke?"

"Nothing to worry. I can handle her."

"I hope you don't use her to do something stupid."

Sasuke emptied his glass of water. "That's the last thing on my mind."

…

Light invaded the half-day darkness of the sky as morning came. Hana rose early, took a bath, and got dressed. She stood in front of the mirror and brushed her hair. On the wall, the clock said twenty minutes to six. She stopped herself from rushing. The minute hand made its trip little by little.

Hana checked herself with her blond hair down. She looked nice, the background of hair making her face smaller. She frowned at the face on the mirror. With her right hand, she gathered her hair behind her head. Now she looked formal. The heart shape of her face became apparent. However, she was still unsatisfied. She slumped onto her chair and stared at her reflection. How should she wear her hair?

After pondering about this, she caught herself. What was she doing? She had always worn her hair in a ponytail! Why was she making a fuss over how to wear her hair? She thought and the conversation she had overheard last night occurred to her.

She couldn't believe herself. Grunting, she stomped out of her room.

…

"Uchiha-san, I brought your medicine."

"You can come in."

Hana went in. Sasuke was fixing his sandals at the bed. "Are you planning to go out?"

"Yes. To get some fresh air and a little exercise." He took the pill and drank it. "I believe you have to come with me?"

"I understand, but you need to eat your breakfast first."

"I've already eaten. Naruto always drops by in the morning. We eat together."

Hana stared at him.

Sasuke noticed what she wanted to say and smiled. "Let's go to the cafeteria and grab a bite."

"You've already eaten. Let's go. I'm not that hungry."

Sasuke began to limp away with his cane. "Fried rice and dried meat would be good."

"I told you I'm not hungry!"

"But egg and toast would be nice, too." Sasuke went out of the room, ignoring Hana.

"I can grab a bite, later. You don't have to do this for me. You're the last—"

"I go back at around ten. If you faint from hunger, I won't be able to carry you back."

"Uchiha Sasuke-san, you are the last person I want pity from. Don't take me lightly."

Sasuke whirled around. "Yamanaka-san, I even treat a child with utmost respect. It seems that your animosity towards me clouds your eyes."

"Don't talk to me like that! I'm older than you by fifteen years!"

"Then act like one. Please. Let's not start the day with a nonsense argument."

They stared into each other's eyes.

Sasuke grabbed her hand. "Let's go."

"Don't—" Sasuke stopped her by squeezing her hand. "…talk to me like that."

They entered the cafeteria. Only few tables were occupied since most of the patients ate their breakfast in bed. Sasuke seated Hana near a window and went to the counter to order. He brought back a serving of special fried rice and shrimps, a large bowl of ramen, two glasses of milk, and a cup of coffee.

"Eat up," Sasuke said. "This will be your first time eating here, right? The chef is good."

"If you think that you can make me change my opinion of you by this—"

Sasuke slurped some noodles from his bowl. "This is good! How about yours?"

Hana watched him for a moment. "You will not listen to whatever I say, will you?"

"Just the things about anger, betrayal, crimes, blood, killings…you know the stuff. Inoichi-san advised me to avoid brooding about those things."

"My husband?"

"Yes."

"Where do you find the guts to pit him against me?"

Sasuke looked up, frowning. "As a patient, I need to abide with what my doctors say."

"I'm not convinced." She began to eat. After a moment, she noticed him watching her. "What?"

"Nothing. I just found out that Naruto was telling the truth."

"What about?"

"That you're very pretty."

Hana lost grip of the chunk of rice between her chopsticks. It fell back to her bowl.

"Are you hitting on me? Do you realize that I'm already a mother?"

Sasuke lost grip of the sun-shaped carrot between his chopsticks. It fell back to his bowl with a small splash.

"I'm not!" His face was flushed. "I know how old you are!"

Hana lost grip of one of her chopsticks. "Say that again and I'll kill you."

No one said a word. They went back to eating in silence. A small curve of smile lingered at the corner of Hana's lips as she chewed some fried rice.

…

"Where are we going?" Hana asked. They had been walking for a while now. The center had long been lost from view. Large trees surrounded them, and they were treading a path filled with grass.

"Are you tired?"

"Uchiha-san, my question requires a simple answer."

"I don't know how to call that place. Now, your turn."

"I'm not tired."

"Ummm…say, Yamanaka-san, I want to know how you can live by yourself even though you have a family."

Hana didn't answer. There were a few moments of silence. The rustling of the leaves was accompanied by the crunching of grass beneath their feet.

"We're not really close," Hana finally said.

"I see."

Hana grunted when Sasuke didn't add anything.

"Inoichi and I had an arranged marriage. When Ino was born, we began concentrating more on being ninjas."

"So that's why."

"Inoichi is a good man, only that he's dedicated to Konoha. I don't mind, anyway, as long as he doesn't betray my trust. We have been living like this for a long time."

"Doesn't Ino feel lonely?"

"Ino is a strong girl, and she understands how it is to be born to parents like us."

"I apologize for the intrusion, but Inoichi-san told me about your problem with Ino."

"Keep your nose out of it!"

Sasuke didn't reply. They walked for fifteen minutes without speaking.

"My daughter is in love with you, and I wouldn't consent to it, so she ran away from home," Hana said.

"We met two days ago."

Hana's eyes glinted with murder. She pulled a kunai out her trouser, got in front of Sasuke, and pointed the tip of the kunai at his neck.

"What did you talk about? Your life depends on your answer."

"She told me that she was in love with me in a way that said that she was not."

"What? I think I don't get you."

Sasuke pushed her hand aside and continued on walking. "That means that she is confused, and this is your chance to talk to her about it."

"Confused? Are you saying that she has fallen in love with someone else?"

"My advice to you, _Mrs._ Yamanaka, is to befriend Ino. Do you really think that the only reason she left is because of your issue with me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, we're here."

"Answer me, Uchiha-san! Are you saying that it was our fault?"

"I can't answer that because I'm not your daughter. Let's discuss this some other time."

The place was filled with white rocks and no greenery could be seen except for a small tree a few yards away from where they stood. Sasuke limped towards the small tree.

"Oh, you've grown a new leaf. Good for you," Sasuke said.

"As if it can hear you," Hana said.

"This tree is the symbol of my new life." Sasuke pulled his left sleeve and showed a large scar across his wrist. "I tried killing myself many times because I couldn't bear the burden of living after the things that I did. The only thing that stopped me from ever attempting it again was this tree. Naruto showed this tree to me. He didn't tell me anything, except that he was amazed that a small tree like this could survive in a barren place. It occurred to me that time that I had been a fool for so long. I had been living in the past that I wouldn't be able to change no matter how powerful I became. This tree showed me that no matter what happens, no matter where your life takes you, you still need to wake up every morning and grow. Atone by fulfilling your duty. Live to carry out your purpose. Never mind the rocks that surround you. Never mind the fact that you are the only tree amidst the rocks. The important thing is what the future brings and what you can bring for the future." He looked at Hana. "I know how much you hate me, but I don't care. I can't do anything about that. But, it will not stop me from achieving the purpose that I'm yet to realize."

"Are you telling me to forget about the past? You almost had me there. Whatever you say, you will always be a despicable criminal to me."

"I won't deny that fact." Sasuke stretched his arms. "The hike was tiring. I want to take a nap. Follow me. I know of a good place."

They walked up to a knoll. The knoll overlooked the small tree amidst the rocks. Sasuke lay down under the shade of a tree.

He sighed. "The sky is beautiful today." He closed his eyes and, after a moment, fell asleep.

Hana sat beside Sasuke and watched the small tree below. The wind turned a leaf. The sun struck it, producing a flash of light. It seemed to Hana that the tree had just winked at her.

Sasuke's face was at peace under the dappled shade of the tree. Hana watched him as he slept. Was this really the Sasuke who had attacked Konoha a few months ago? Her eyes shifted back to the tree. It looked lonely amidst all those rocks, but everyday it grew to reach the sun. _How could you be so brave, little one? Does Sasuke see himself in you?_

…

Four days passed by. The days had been normal. Hana went to attend to Sasuke's needs. The only problem was the growing seed of forgiveness that began sprouting in her heart. Ever since Sasuke had brought her to the tree, she had felt as if a large chunk of the glacier had fallen off to the sea.

She showed him verbal hostility, but he parried with sweet words. She showed him harsh actions, but he blocked them with silence and an expression of curiosity. As time passed, she realized that she could not provoke him. He had accepted her hatred from the beginning. She was yet to do the worst he had prepared himself for.

One time, as she came to his room to change his beddings, they fell into a conversation about Sasuke's childhood. Sasuke told her about his family and his admiration for Itachi and the Third Hokage. He told him about Naruto and Team 7, their first enemies…and then about Akatsuki and Taka. She asked him out of curiosity—not of anger—why he joined those criminals. He simply said that he had been a blind fool.

Everyday, Hana found it more and more comfortable being around Sasuke. When she was with him, he gave all his attention to her. He told of truths in a gentle voice without emphasis on his ego. He told her his regrets in life and his desire to be forgiven in whatever means necessary.

"Even death?" It was almost three in the afternoon. She was in his room for an afternoon checkup. She had just finished and was packing up.

Sasuke looked at the blue sky with sad eyes. "Yes." The wind blew through his hair. "Yamanaka-san, do you want me to die?"

At first, yes, she had wanted him to die. Kill him with her own hands, if possible. But now…

"What are you saying? Why would I want that?"

"I-I killed…" Sasuke's jaw muscles bulged. "I ransacked, mercilessly…"

"Enough with the depressing talk. Weren't you the one who told me to avoid such topics of discussion?"

Sasuke's eyes were filled with sadness when he turned to her. "I'm sorry."

Hana smiled—a smile that encouraged, a smile with a promise that everything would be fine. "I'll come back for your medicine. You should take some rest."

"Thank you."

…

Hana walked down the hallway with her head down. Her eyes were staring into space. She didn't notice a man in a white robe and they bumped into each other.

"Yamanaka-san? Hey, are you all right?" the man asked.

"I'm fine." Hana walked on.

The man watched her go with a frown.

She arrived at her room in that dazed state. She went in and lay down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She could see the small tree in her mind surrounded with white rocks. Then she saw Sasuke smiling sadly amidst people who cursed at him, made fun of him, and wanted him dead. She had been one of them. Now, where did she stand?

"You should not let your anger fade. He killed a dear friend, Hana. You need to avenge her death. That's the only thing now that you can do for her and his other victims. He is just deceiving you." She turned her head to the table where a sachet of green powder lay. "You can't betray them."

…

Hana arrived on schedule that evening to give Sasuke his medicine. As usual, she announced her presence. Sasuke let her in. He was sitting on his bed, hands on the handle of his cane, tapping the floor with his foot.

"I brought your medicine."

Sasuke pushed himself to his feet. "Thank you," he said as he drank the tablet. "I presume you know why I will excuse myself?"

"To watch the sunset."

Sasuke smiled. "Pardon me, Hana-san." He turned and limped to the balcony.

Hana just stood there with the tray, thinking. She stared at Sasuke through the window. Finally, she set the tray down on the bed. "Uchiha-san, may I join you?"

Sasuke looked over his shoulder with a raised eyebrow.

"May I join you, Uchiha-san?"

"O-of course. Come."

Hana went to the balcony. She gasped when her eyes caught sight of the scenery. Far on the west, the remaining rays of the sun went through a long ravine in the center of the mountain. It looked like a glowing blade of a sword stuck in the liver of the demon. The clouds were feathers of pink, purple, and indigo and the sky a breathtaking painting of orange, violent, and black. The sun provided a silver-lining along the outline of the raised land masses.

"Now you cannot blame me for being obsessive of this habit," Sasuke said.

"It's so beautiful."

Sasuke smiled in pride, as if he was the one who created the panorama. "It is."

Outside, Naruto sensed Hana's presence in the room, so he instructed a passing nurse to bring another serving of teriyaki and miso soup.

Sasuke brought out his pipe and smoked, enjoying the company of his new nurse.

"It's not advisable for you to smoke, Uchiha-san. Please put it out."

"This is not tobacco but ground Kakarui. It helps me calm down."

"I don't see why it is necessary. You seem calm."

Sasuke looked at her. "Not now."

Hana blushed. "Uchiha-san, please be reminded that those words are inappropriate."

Sasuke blew out some smoke. "Akiko-san wouldn't watch the sunset with me. Other than Naruto, you're the first one who cared."

"I was merely curious."

"Thank you, anyway."

Hana snorted.

"Dinner's here!" Naruto announced from the room.

"Your friend is here. I had better get going."

Sasuke stopped her by grabbing her wrist. "Please stay."

Hana pulled her wrist from his grip. "Look. Don't be conceited. Being with you already makes my hairs stand on ends. Joining you for dinner is out of the question."

"Please."

Seeing Sasuke's eyes, Hana hesitated for a brief moment. "I-I'm sorry. Goodnight."

"Hana-san, can you be my friend?"

Hana paused for a bit, but then went on.

She walked towards the door. She glared at Naruto, bumping his shoulder as she passed by. Naruto could only watch her with confusion. When he was about to ask Sasuke about it, Sasuke cut him off with a shake of his head.

…

The next day, much to Sasuke's disappointment, another nurse accompanied him the whole day.

…

It was dusk. Hana could see the sun shining through the ravine in the west. The sun's orange light cast shadows behind the gravestones of those who had departed. She turned back to the gravestone in front of her. A single incense burned in the small earthen jar at the base of the gravestone. A bouquet of flowers lay across the grass, the color of the petals made dull by the gathering gloom.

"Michiko, I have to go now." She reached out and caressed the smooth edge of the gravestone before she left.

As she descended the slope, Hana saw a man on crutches going up. Only a stump remained of his left leg.

"Akisuki!" Hana called out.

"Oh, if it isn't Hana! Hey, what's up?" Akisuki lurched forward on his crutches.

"The usual. How are you?"

"I'm doing fine. I was visiting my grandmother when I remembered that it was the sixth month of Michiko's death. I decided to drop by her grave. You just visited her, right?"

"Yes."

A beat. "Hey, how's Sasuke? I heard that you're his new nurse."

"Yes. Sasuke is doing fine."

Akisuki smiled. "I'm glad."

Hana frowned at him.

Akisuki put his hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to bother you, anymore. Let's see each other some other time."

Hana watched him lurch up the slope. He had two children and Michiko had been his wife. He and Michiko had been with the team that chased Sasuke.

"I cannot ignore this, Akisuki. I'm sorry."

…

Hana had brought Sasuke his medicine earlier than scheduled. She chatted with him for a bit, and then went to wait at a bench in the corridor. She clasped her hands until her knuckles were white and the tips of her fingers were red. Every now and then, she gazed at the wall clock on the wall. Cold sweat sprouted from her forehead even though it was cold. She nibbled at her thumb's nail as she gazed at the stairs. When she saw no one coming up, she glanced up at the clock. Ten minutes after six. _Is he coming? _She shook her head. _He will come. I know he will._ She fiddled with her ponytail to fight her anxiety.

Then, after a few more minutes, her eyes caught sight of a familiar blond boy.

"Uzumaki-san, wait!" Hana called out.

"Oh, Hana-oba-san, hi!" Naruto was about to bring dinner to Sasuke.

"Ano, you see, I want to eat with Uchiha-san today."

Naruto brightened up. "Really?"

"Yes. Could you…ano, I want to…"

Naruto grinned. "I understand. Here." He handed the tray over to her. "He'll be glad to have someone other than me eat with him."

"Thank you."

"See you, then. Make some excuse for me." He winked before bounding down the stairs.

Hana's attention was on the green tea.

…

Hana's arms trembled when she arrived at the door to Sasuke's room. She gulped twice and breathed two consecutive lungful to calm herself. She looked up as if to pray, shutting her eyes to call for courage, knowing completely that she would not be able to. As a last attempt for composure, she cleared her throat.

"Uchiha-san, I brought you dinner." She pushed the door in and entered. Sasuke was at the balcony, watching the sunset. She went to him.

"Oh, Hana-san. I didn't hear you."

"I want to discuss something with you. Over dinner."

Sasuke smiled. "I'm glad you found it in your heart to try to endure facing me at dinner."

"I just want to apologize for my being cold to you these past days."

"Don't worry. I'm used to it. So, shall we eat?"

They started eating.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke looked up, surprised in hearing his first name.

"…what would you feel if you had to eat with the person who killed your bestfriend?" Hana poured tea into Sasuke's cup. "Wouldn't it feel awful?"

Sasuke eyed the green liquid in his cup. It reflected the moon in its translucent surface. He looked back at Hana. She was watching him. He couldn't breathe for a couple of seconds.

"Or would it feel liberating?"

Sasuke realized what was happening. He slowly let out his breath. Hana's eyes welled up as she pushed the cup of tea to Sasuke.

Sasuke stared at the cup in front of him. "So this is your answer to my question last night."

"I cannot…forgive you."

Sasuke's lips curled into a sad smile. He wrapped his hand around the cup. "Thank you for sharing my sunset with me. I'm glad that I'll be able to help you move on, Hana-san."

Hana's eyes grew wide. _Help me move on…_Tears spilled out her eyes. She wanted to reach for the cup, but she was too late. Sasuke had already drunk all the content of the cup.

"I'm sorry for everything." Sasuke closed his eyes. Color began to fade from his skin. He fell over and landed beside Hana's feet.

Hana could only stare into space. "Even though…even though I hated you so much, you could still think about me. How could you put so much importance on my feelings? Why are you so kind to me?"

"I thought so." Naruto came running towards them. He noticed the cup on the floor and Hana's wet face. Realization dawned on him. "Hana-san, give me the poison!"

"I-I killed him…"

"Where did you keep it?" He frisked Hana's clothes and felt a bulge on her left front pocket. He fished the sachet of green powder she had hidden there. "There's no time to lose. He's still alive. Help me. I'll carry him to the emergency room. Please get Master Tsunade."

Hana didn't move.

"Yamanaka-san!"

When she turned, Hana noticed the tears oozing out Naruto's eyes.

"Please, I'm begging you. I'm begging you, Hana-san. Help me save Sasuke."

…

Tsunade looked up from the monitors beside Sasuke's bed. Sasuke lay immobile. An oxygen mask covered the lower half of his face. Intravenous tubes extended from the back of his hands and inner arms.

"We're fortunate the poison didn't reach his heart," Tsunade said. "Hana, you know what will happen to you."

Hana weakly nodded.

"Tsunade-baa-chan, please let me handle this," Naruto said.

"Naruto, I won't let you meddle in this. What she did is a taboo amongst medical-nins."

"Please, for Sasuke's sake. He will never forgive himself if Hana-oba-san is convicted because of him."

"The answer is no."

Naruto sighed. "Tsunade-sensei, I will not think twice in admitting the crime if you push on with it."

Hana's eyes widened. Tsunade gaped.

"I have the poison. This is evidence enough."

A fresh supply of tears fell out of Hana's eyes.

"You're crazy," Tsunade said. "You're protecting the woman who almost killed Sasuke."

"I know. Please, Tsunade-sensei."

"God! I don't care anymore!" Tsunade glared at Hana, who shrank away from her. "You'd better remember this day." She slammed the door in irritation.

Hana didn't know what to make of what Naruto had done. She could only stare at him in disbelief. Slowly, she sat down on the stool beside Sasuke's bed.

"I can't understand," she said. "Why did you protect me? Shouldn't you be hating me because of what I did?"

"I know the feeling of being hated. As long as possible, I don't want other people to experience something terrible as that. Including my enemies."

"But it's not reason enough to protect me. I'm guilty of attempted murder. Do you understand that?"

"Do you badly want to be imprisoned?"

"No, but…"

"Sasuke wanted to save you."

Hana glanced up at Naruto.

"Sasuke saw his old self in you. He was afraid that if you continued on hating, you would end up like him, being disliked even by his former friends. Sasuke is the kind of guy who blames himself for everything. Up until now, he is suffering because he can't forgive himself for the things he did. Maybe, even if I tell him everyday to forget about the past, it will not leave his conscience alone. He is desperately searching for a way to atone for his sins, and he is so serious in doing it he will gladly give his life if the magnitude of his guilt can be abated even a little. Because of that, he drank the tea you'd given him even though he knew that you put something in there."

Hana looked down, embarrassed of how these two kids showed how immature she had been.

"He's just like you. I've heard a lot of things about you, Naruto, but I ignored them. I misjudged you."

A brief moment of silence.

"I thought I knew everything. It turned out that I knew nothing at all. Thank you for opening my eyes. I'm so grateful I met you both." She embraced Naruto. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun, for everything I did and said against you."

Naruto let her like that for a while. Then, after seemingly an eternity, she broke the embrace and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"Friends?" Naruto offered his hand.

Hana shook it. "Friends. And for Sasuke…" she leaned over and kissed Sasuke's forehead, "…I'll gladly have him as my son-in-law."

Naruto hid the sadness in his voice. "H-he'll be glad to hear that."

Hana tiptoed and put a kiss on Naruto's forehead as well. "Even if I was still single, it wouldn't have worked between us. I overheard you the other day. You were fantasizing about me. I don't want you to think of me like that, again. However, if you need a mother or an older sister, I'll always be here for you."

Naruto beamed. "Thank you."

"On second thought, ummm…maybe I can indulge you with one."

"Huh?"

Hana pulled Naruto and kissed him in the mouth. She enjoyed herself, releasing the desire Naruto's words had planted in her. It was a wet kiss only older women could give. Naruto melted. He sagged until he was sitting on the floor, Hana pushing on. Hana lost herself in the moment. She pushed on and on until Naruto was lying on the floor, completely dominated. Few more minutes passed before Hana realized that she had gone overboard. She sat on Naruto's stomach and collared him.

"Never ever bragged about this, do you understand? This is between us. If my husband learns about this, first he will kill you, and then he will kill me."

Naruto nodded. His mind was still on clouds. "I thought I reached heaven."

"Find yourself a girlfriend. Damn it. I got carried away."

"I hope Ino could kiss me like that."

Hana blinked. "What are you talking about? Are you in love with my daughter?"

"Huh? No! I…"

"Interesting..." Hana got off Naruto and stood up. She waited until Naruto was on his feet. "The two most controversial shinobis in Konoha. Who should I root for? Both are cute. Both are famous. Both are mature for their age. Hmmm…I'll tell Ino about our little adventure."

Naruto got into a corner and sulked. "Monster."

"Hey, I'm only teasing you. Seriously, this is a hard one."

"Don't worry. I already gave up."

Hana playfully hit his head. "Baka! You should see this through until the end."

"But…"

"Girls have fickle hearts. You can never know."

Sasuke, overhearing the conversation, smiled and went back to sleep.

_To be continued…_

Author's note:

The transition for this one almost killed me. Sigh. Thanks for the reviews, guys!


	3. Notice

Notice:

I thought I would never have to do this again. Sorry. The series will be on hiatus.


End file.
